Released Unharmed

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Five human-rights workers kidnapped last month by Marxist guerrillas in the jungle near the Panama border have been released unharmed, the military said Sunday. The workers, all Colombian nationals working for the Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission, were handed over to villagers Friday close to where they were abducted March 31.

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria -- A Nigerian toddler abducted on his way to nursery school in oil-rich southern Nigeria returned safely home Friday to cheers and singing, the fourth child seized and released unharmed in two months. Town chief Eze Francis Amadi's son, Samuel, 3, was still in his school uniform when Nigerian security services escorted him home. He rushed into the arms of his mother.

Rico - A 10-hour ordeal ended happily for a family whose 7-year-old son was kidnapped at gunpoint but released unharmed at a shopping center. Pedro Sotomayor and his wife, Waleska Gonzalez, were loading suitcases into their minivan Friday morning - on their way to catch a flight - when two armed men tied and gagged them at their home in Carolina, a San Juan suburb. Police speculated that when the robbers did not find as much money as they had hoped for, they left with the van and the couple's son, Christopher, saying that they would demand a $150,000 ransom.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Three French citizens and a Haitian who were kidnapped by gunmen near a volatile slum outside the capital have been released unharmed without a ransom paid, French and U.N. officials said Saturday. A nun in her 80s was released Friday afternoon, and two French volunteers and their Haitian driver were released late Friday, U.N. spokesman David Wimhurst said. The four had been abducted Wednesday on a road running between Haiti's international airport and Cite Soleil, a slum on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad -- Two people kidnapped a week ago were released unharmed Thursday when their families paid a ransom, police said. Mark Samlal, 20, and Kendra Kissoon, 19, were abducted July 17 from Samlal's house in San Juan, just east of the capital, Port-of-Spain. Both were dropped off on a highway near Chaguanas, about 15 miles south of the capital. No arrests have been made, police said. The kidnappers initially demanded $1 million but accepted $17,000, officials said. On July 16, Parliament passed a law increasing sentences for convicted kidnappers from 15 to 25 years in prison.

A woman was shot in the leg as she tried to save her husband from being abducted Thursday morning, Volusia County deputies said.Celia Popoca, 28, of 4960 Central Ave., was in fair condition Thursday night at Memorial Hospital-West Volusia in DeLand.Sgt. Bob Kelley said her husband, Juan Popoca, 39, was released unharmed by three men along State Road 15A, just a few minutes after they pushed him into a black, four-door Honda. The men stole Popoca's jewelry, Kelley said.Popoca told police he didn't know the men and didn't know why they decided to grab him, Kelley said.

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Six small-town mayors kidnapped by right-wing paramilitaries to protest their dealings with Colombian guerrillas were released unharmed Tuesday, the Red Cross said. The mayors were abducted Sunday.

The daughter of gaming executive Steve Wynn was released unharmed early Tuesday several hours after being kidnapped from her home. Kevin Wynn, 26, was reported in seclusion with members of her family. She was freed after her father, chairman of Mirage Resorts Inc., paid an undisclosed ransom, authorities said. No arrests have been made. Wynn was kidnapped at her home in the exclusive Spanish Trails area in southwest Las Vegas. She was released unharmed several hours later in a car at McCarran Airport.

KIDNAP VICTIM. Antonio Curia's family paid the kidnappers $280,000. They demanded more. It was paid this week. Curia, 67, owner of a pharmacy was released unharmed Thursday. He was seized Feb. 19. Curia was a leader of a group of pharmacists who last year pressured the government for action against kidnappers.

BOY HOME. A Redwood City mother said she is thanking God for the safe return of her 16-year-old son and the arrest of his alleged kidnappers. Juan Ruben Chavez was released unharmed in Los Angeles Wednesday night after being held for 14 days. Police officers arrested two men allegedly responsible for the abduction, police said.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- An Italian aid worker held hostage for more than three weeks was released Thursday evening, healthy and ready to go home, officials said. Clementina Cantoni, 32, had worked with widows and their families for CARE International in Kabul for almost two years. She planned to return home in June but was kidnapped May 16 by armed gunmen who dragged her from her vehicle. On Thursday, she called her mother and said she was fine. The Afghan government paid no money and did not negotiate with the kidnappers, Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalali said.

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Five human-rights workers kidnapped last month by Marxist guerrillas in the jungle near the Panama border have been released unharmed, the military said Sunday. The workers, all Colombian nationals working for the Inter-Church Justice and Peace Commission, were handed over to villagers Friday close to where they were abducted March 31.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad -- Kidnappers released the son of a business owner unharmed Wednesday without a ransom being paid, police said. Shakti Pooran, 19, disappeared Sept. 24 after leaving his home in the southwest town of Roussillac, police said. His kidnappers contacted his family and said they would behead Pooran if a $33,000 ransom were not paid. Police said Pooran was in good condition, and officers were questioning him to get details on his abduction.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad -- Two people kidnapped a week ago were released unharmed Thursday when their families paid a ransom, police said. Mark Samlal, 20, and Kendra Kissoon, 19, were abducted July 17 from Samlal's house in San Juan, just east of the capital, Port-of-Spain. Both were dropped off on a highway near Chaguanas, about 15 miles south of the capital. No arrests have been made, police said. The kidnappers initially demanded $1 million but accepted $17,000, officials said. On July 16, Parliament passed a law increasing sentences for convicted kidnappers from 15 to 25 years in prison.

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- The three daughters of the Latin American head of the Reuters news agency were released unharmed after being held by kidnappers for nine days, authorities said Friday. Ricardo Garcia Diniz, Reuters' senior company officer for Latin America, paid about $11,000 Thursday for the release of the children ages 10, 8 and 4, said Mauricio Rodrigues, a spokesman for Sao Paulo state police's anti-kidnapping team.

GENEVA -- Two Red Cross workers kidnapped in early December by Congolese rebels have been released unharmed, the aid organization said Sunday. The International Committee of the Red Cross said the men, Thierry Dodey, 41, of France and Congolese national Alain Guy Ngoualere, 37, were freed in good health Saturday.

GENEVA -- Two Red Cross workers kidnapped in early December by Congolese rebels have been released unharmed, the aid organization said Sunday. The International Committee of the Red Cross said the men, Thierry Dodey, 41, of France and Congolese national Alain Guy Ngoualere, 37, were freed in good health Saturday.

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria -- A Nigerian toddler abducted on his way to nursery school in oil-rich southern Nigeria returned safely home Friday to cheers and singing, the fourth child seized and released unharmed in two months. Town chief Eze Francis Amadi's son, Samuel, 3, was still in his school uniform when Nigerian security services escorted him home. He rushed into the arms of his mother.

SARASOTA -- A receptionist at a medical center was abducted by two men as she was leaving work but was released unharmed Friday, authorities said. Kimberly Nicole Dixon, 22, was walking in the parking lot to her car Thursday evening when she was grabbed by two hooded men and forced her into a van driven by a third man. "The victim was targeted, but we still don't know the motive," said Sgt. Chuck Lesaltato of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office....

BOGOTA, Colombia -- Six small-town mayors kidnapped by right-wing paramilitaries to protest their dealings with Colombian guerrillas were released unharmed Tuesday, the Red Cross said. The mayors were abducted Sunday.